Oxford Urbanists Monthly

Every month our Regional Teams focus on one topic. These topics follow the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Follow the hashtags to keep updated with this month's topic.The Glocal Ambassador articles are great case studies from various regions that explore multiple urban issues.To join the conversation, drop a comment or have your own article featured.

Two informal settlements in the periphery of the planned city of Chandigarh, India, remain irregular to the eyes of the State. As the sanitation challenge is addressed by public policy with temporary measures, residents are met with brutal actions of eviction and demolitions. Between tolerated and de-legitimised, residents are targeted as electoral mass, but excluded from the ideal city.

Although a vital element of urban life, informal workers in public spaces are often stigmatized and neglected by traditional policies and academy. Despite their vulnerability, they can develop valuable resilience skills and influence spatial dynamics. In order to leverage their innovation potential, our cities should provide a more flexible regulatory framework, transforming the public space in a safe platform that fosters inclusion and healthy competition.